Pellinge peninsula serves as the mainland threshold to the island world of The Summer Book: from its jetty, the adult Sophia ferries a visitor across water that quickly proves less calm than it first appears.

Departure Point

On a clear, warm day, the narrator waits on a jetty on Pellinge peninsula for Sophia to steer the boat to the island. The peninsula is established through this practical scene of departure rather than as a place where the novel’s island episodes unfold. It is the point from which the visitor leaves the mainland and enters the setting that inspired the book.

The Crossing

The sea looks calm as the boat sets off, but the wind is against them. The water turns rough, the boat slams down from the tips of the waves, and spray soaks the passengers. Sophia, who has returned to the island every summer of her life, shows no sign of fear as she steers. About twenty minutes after departure, she moors the boat skilfully between long ropes, keeping her balance while securing it.

Relation to the Island

The arrival completes the movement begun at Pellinge peninsula: life jackets, newspapers, food, and drinking water are unloaded, and the visitors splash ashore. The peninsula’s significance lies in this contrast of shore and passage. The jetty offers a definite starting point, while the crossing makes clear that reaching the island depends on navigating the open water between them.